The people couldn’t shake the slave mindset. They even discuss choosing a new leader to take them back to Egypt to be slaves. The known suffering and danger of slavery was worse for these slaves than the danger of obtaining, keeping, and living in freedom.
The Hebrew slaves say they are afraid of dying by the sword but I suggest that living in freedom was really central problem for these slaves. When they were slaves in Egypt they were responsible only for simple things like making bricks. But now God was asking them to take possession of a land and populate it with an organized culture that worshipped him alone and followed all his commands.
They had made a covenant with God and now they were going to be responsible to keep it. Living in freedom does not mean we are free to do whatever we please.
These former slaves were now responsible to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob only and worship him only the way he said (no idols and private worship ceremonies). They were responsible for their own behavior and not permitted to use God’s name to authorize selfishness. They were responsible to keep the Sabbath. They were responsible to give honor to parents. They were responsible to not murder, commit adultery, steal, falsely accuse others, or covet.
I guess they decided making bricks under treat of violence in Egypt was better than living with the responsibility of living peacefully with God as his people.
This slave mindset can hide out in our lives as well. It may not show up in such obvious ways but lack of responsibility can be addictive and taking it up can be frightening. Christ paid the price of our spiritual freedom through his death on the cross. But this freedom does not mean we are free to live as we please. This freedom means we are free to live as God pleases as his children and as his servants.
God is patient, loving and forgiving, but we can miss out our entire lives on the fulfilled life if we aren’t willing to pick up the responsibility of truly possessing the freedom God has for us.
September 10, 2008 at 9:49 am |
Doubts and fears alienate people from God as the 10 spies were alienated from God’s promises. Doubts about God’s power and love may seem to be a harmless non-action stance, but in essence, doubts are a refusal to entrust a life to God’s love and protection.
Doubts lead to fears and fears keep us from accepting a relationship with the Lord. There can be no “leap of faith” when people fear. Fears rob us from eternal salvation. Caleb and Joshua’s acceptance of God’s promise reaped the blessing of being able to enjoy a life in the promised land. Simple positive actions towards God such as the giving of one hour per week to serve others, caring & loving the less fortunate, or the giving of an offering are “leaps of faith” – not necessarily as dramtic as Caleb’s or Joshua’s, however, they demonstrate trust in God’s promises.